Graduate Council Meeting - Minutes
March 21, 2005

Present: Chair Bruce McLeod, Ken Bowers, Patty Holkup, Rich Howard, Robert Maher, Marc Giullian, Robert Rydell, Warren Jones (Faculty Council), Mary Kay West

Meeting commenced at 1:10 in Sherrick 106.

GRADUATE COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMS: (Numbers refer to item numbers on the Agenda)

1. Future organization of the Graduate Council

McLeod reported that an advance copy of the College of Graduate Studies Review Task Force Report to the Provost has been given to the members of the Task Force. Jones has reviewed it for the Faculty Council which will meet on March 23 to review it. McLeod has not been notified whether Provost Dooley has approved the Report yet.

2. Report to the Council about current recruiting efforts

Molecular Life and Biosciences Initiative (MLBI)

Due to heavy competition from other universities for top graduate students, MSU is attempting to hire a director of MLBI to recruit PhD students for life science departments. The departments include Vet Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Cell and Neuroscience, and Thermal Biology. Two candidates for the position will be visiting MSU this week.

PhD stipend enhancement program

McLeod reported that the program for PhD students resulted in helping to recruit approximately 25 new students. Stipend enhancements are being used by departments to allow them to compete for the best graduates. The program will be funded again for FY 06.

3. What is the role of the Graduate Council

 Discussion of the role of Graduate Council included:

    • a governing and policy making council of MSU for graduate students
    • Council is to inform Dean of CGS how proposed policies would work in their departments
    • Council discusses new programs

McLeod asked each member to give their thoughts on the possible expansion of the

Graduate Council membership. Comments included:

    • too large a group could make discussions difficult and cause delay in taking action
    • every department already has a member on the Faculty Council
    • agreed that there is a communication problem in getting Graduate Council information out to the campus; possible solutions were suggested and discussed.

Meeting adjourned at 2:00 pm.

The next meeting of Graduate Council is scheduled for Monday, April 11, at 3:00 pm in SUB 271.